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East London: England left-arm opening bowler Ryan Sidebottom, playing in his first match of the tour after recovering from a side injury, took five wickets on the second day of the touring team's two-day match against a South African Invitation XI at Buffalo Park on Saturday.
Sidebottom claimed five for 42 as the Invitation XI were bowled out for 263, giving England a 54-run first innings lead.
With just over an hour's play remaining it was decided not to start a second innings.
Sidebottom and fast bowler James Anderson both came through what amounted to fitness tests ahead of the first Test against South Africa, starting in Centurion on Wednesday.
Anderson, who has struggled with a knee injury, took one for 58 in 15 overs.
England captain Andrew Strauss said he was impressed by both bowlers.
"Ryan was swinging it and bowled accurately and James bowled three spells, which is more than he has been asked to do previously on the tour."
Strauss said he was confident both bowlers would be fit for the Test but cautioned that they would need to assessed over the next few days.
Strauss said he was still not sure about the balance of the side for the first Test - whether England would opt for six specialist batsmen and four bowlers, or for all-rounder Luke Wright in place of a batsman.
"We haven't nailed our colours to the mast but we are getting closer to our final eleven," he said.
England reduced the Invitation team to 76 for five but were held up by a half-century by Yaseen Vallie and a 119-run seventh wicket stand between Charl Pietersen (64) and hard-hitting David Wiese, who made 80 off 88 balls.
Brief scores
England XI: 317 for 5 (Strauss 100 ret, Pietersen 71)
SA Invitational XI: 263 (Wiese 80, Pietersen 64, Sidebottom 5-42)
Results: Draw
